Method of and apparatus for spotting textiles before dry cleaning

ABSTRACT

A LOAD OF GARMENTS TO BE DRY-CLEANED IN A ROTATING OR OSCILLATING DRUM IS SUBJECTED IN THAT DRUM, IN THE ABSENCE OF ORGANIC CLEANING FLUID, TO A MIXTURE OF STEAM AND DETERGENT TO MOISTEN AND LIFT MAJOR STAINS OF A WATER-SOLUBLE NATURE; AFTER TUMBLING FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD IN THIS ATMOSPHERE, THE MOIST GARMENTS ARE TREATED WITH THE USUAL

Oct. 12, 1971 HlLDEBRANDT 3,611,456

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SPOTTING TEXTILES BEFORE DRY CLEANING FiledFeb. 20, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l Horsf Hildebrand? INVl5N'/()l BY C K rR0 Attorney Oct. 12, 1971 H. HILDEBRANDT 3,

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FDR SPOTTING TEXTILES BEFORE 1m CLEANING FiledFeb. 20, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet I srzm "-47 a 4 SOURCE name 19 may: 13 I R{a I mammal? Q o 14 3, .r/ I V ,1

\ CONDENSER HEATER 35 39 DRUM DRIVE SOLVENT l ,1 m;

H62 5 I O Horst Hildebrand? INVIiN'IUR Attorney nited States PatentOfice Patented Oct. 12, 1971 US. Cl. 8-1491 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A load of garments to be dry-cleaned in a rotating oroscillating drum is subg'ected in that drum, in the absence of organiccleaning fluid, to a mixture of steam and detergent to moisten and liftmajor stains of a water-soluble nature; after tumbling for a certainperiod in this atmosphere, the moist garments are treated with the usualorganic solvent.

My present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus forremoving water-soluble spots and stains from garments and other textilesto be dry-cleaned.

In several prior U.'S. patents, such as Nos. 2,614,026 and 3,473,175,there have been disclosed dry-cleaning systems wherein a minorproportion of water is admixed with an organic solvent whereby, in thepresence of a suitable detergent, such water-soluble spots (e.g. blood,fruit or albumen stains), not readily attacked by the usual dry-cleaningfluids such as perchloroethylene, are more easily lifted during thetumbling of the textiles in a rotating or oscillating vessel.Nevertheless, many dry-cleaning establishments have found itadvantageous to remove major stains by hand, an operation known in thetrade as spotting, before loading them into the dry-cleaning drum.

The general object of my present invention is to provide an improvedsystem for spotting textiles to be dry-cleaned, in order to foreshortenthe time needed for treatment with the organic solvent.

More specifically, my invention aims at performing this spottingoperation automatically and in the same vessel as the subsequentdry-cleaning phase.

The present invention is based on the surprising discoveiy that garmentsand other textiles, when subjected to agitation in a treatment vesselsuch as a rotary drum, can be readily freed from water-soluble stains byadmitting steam along with a detergent into the moving vessel in theabsence of organic solvent. With the moistened textiles rubbing againstone another, the stains wetted by detergent generally disappear in arelatively short time so that the overall operating cycle of the machineis shorter than when a similar stain-removing effect is to be achievedby the use of a water/solvent mixture. This improvement is believed tobe at least partly attributable to the fact that relatively strongdetergents, such as alkylaryl sulfonates, can be used in thesteam-treating phase without risk of interaction with the solvent whichcould occur upon introduction of such detergents into a mixture ofsolvent and water.

After this pretreatment, the wet but not Water-soaked textiles can besubjected to the conventional dry-cleaning cycle, with possibleintercalation of the venting phase to remove excess moisture from thevessel.

Reference may be made to the book Surface Active Agents by Anthony M.Schwartz and James W. Perry, lnterscience Publishers, Inc., New York,N.Y., vol. I, Chapter 21, for literature relating to the use ofdetergents in dry-cleaning and laundering.

The invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic isometricview of an apparatus used forpracticing the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic layout of a system for operating an apparatus ofthe general type shown in FIG. 1.

In 'FIG. 1 I have shown a dry-cleaning machine with a housing 1 in whichan upwardly open drum 2 is supported in a bearing 3 for rotation aboutan inclined axis 0 by a driving motor not shown. In principle, therotation can be continuous or oscillatory. A source of steam, not shown,is connected to a supply conduit 4 which opens into the drum at itsupper end and terminates in a nozzle 32. A source of detergent, also notshown, feeds a conduit 5 which merges with the steam conduit 4 and isprovided with a valve 7 controlling the amount of detergent to beadmixed with the steam Whose supply rate is determined by the positionof a valve 6 in conduit 4. Valves 6 and 7 may be operated in timedrelationship, e.g. under the control of a programmer as describedhereinafter with reference to FIG. 2, to admit an amount of steamdependent on the type of textiles to be treated, as well as on the sizeof the load in drum 2, and an amount of detergent which may be adjustedaccording to the degree of soiling of the textiles. In addition, aninlet conduit 8 and an outlet conduit 9 are part of a circuit, notfurther illustrated, for admitting organic solvent into the drum 2 andremoving it therefrom.

In the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1, steam and detergent in theselected proportions are first allowed to enter the rotating drum 2 intowhich the dry textiles have been loaded. With the supply of organiccleaning fluid blocked at this phase, the textiles are tumbled in themoist and detergent-laden atmosphere until the major water-solublestains thereon have been lifted. Thereafter, solvent is admitted throughpipe 8 for the dry-cleaning phase in which additional detergent may beintroduced through conduits 5 and 4. After the washing phase, thesolvent is extracted through pipe 9 and the drum is aerated in theconventional manner to dry the textiles.

FIG. 2 shows a more elaborate system wherein a perforated drum or basket2' is rotated about a horizontal axis in a housing 1' having an accessdoor 2b, the drying mechanism being accommodated in a base 12 alsohaving a compartment 12a for the solvent. Conventional mens, not shown,may be provided for recovering and purifying the spent solvent to returnit to compartment 12a.

Two conduits 4', 5' open into the housing 1 where the'y' terminate inrespective spray nozzles 32' and 33. Conduit 4' is connected via aregulating valve 6' and a Venturi-type constriction 36 as well as ashut-01f valve 14 and a steam drier 13 to a source of steam 41; a watertank 42 discharges into a pipe 19 connected by way of a shut-off valve20 and a regulating valve 21 to constriction 36 for the purpose ofvarying the moisture content of the drum atmosphere. A switching valve15 connects conduit 5' to one of three supply conduits 16, 17 and 18provided with respective shut-off valves 22, 23 and 24, conduit 16originating at a detergent reservoir 25 whereas conduit 17 is connectedthrough a pump 28 with an alternate detergent supply 29 shown to bemounted on a carriage 30. Conduit 18 leads back to solvent compartment12a by way of a pump 27.

Storage receptacles 25 and 29 are connected to an airpressure duct 26into which compressed air from a tank 43 can be discharged through acontrol valve 44. Valves 6, 7', 15,, 21 and 44 are under the control ofa progra'mmer 31, with interposition of two manually settable timers 6a,7a between the programmer and the valves 6' and 7'. With the aid ofthese timers the operator may select variable periods for the admissionof steam and detergent into housing 1'.

II he drum 2 and its housing 1' can be vented through an exhaust channel38 which includes a blower 37 and terminates at an outlet port 39. Adamper 40 allows the vapor from the drum and the housing to berecirculated to the drum by way of a condenser and an air heater 11whereby excess moisture can be removed between the pretreating phase andthe dry-cleaning phase. Slide valve allows for a switchover betweendifierent types of detergents stored in containers 25 and 29, aside fromadmitting the solvent to the drum during the dry-cleaning phase. Thus,for example, a nonionic detergent from tanks 29 could be introduced intothe drum during or just prior to the admission of solvent, to replace astrong ionic detergent from container 25 introduced with the steam inthe preliminary phase.

Naturally, the arrangement of FIG. 2 is representative of a wide varietyof automatic, semi-automatic or manual systems for practicing theprocess of my invention by successively treating textiles within amoving vessel in an aqueous and an organic phase.

The timers 6a, 7a may be so adjusted that steam (with or without anadmixture of additional water) is allowed to pass the valve 6' beforethe valve 7' is opened so that the load is uniformly moistened when thedetergent is first admitted.

I claim:

1. A method of cleaning textiles in a continuously moving vessel,comprising the steps of placing a load of textile in the vessel in theabsence of organic solvents, setting the vessel in motion, admittingsteam and a detergent into said vessel to lift water-soluble stains fromsaid textiles, subsequently treating said textiles with a dry-cleaningfluid in said vessel, and thereafter drying said textiles.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the vessel is vented prior tointroduction of said dry-cleaning fluid into same.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the textiles are left in amoistened state during the venting step.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the textiles are dried by arecirculating air stream passing through a water-extraction zonefollowed by a reheating zone.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein further detergent is added tosaid vessel during treatment of the textiles by said solvent.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,573,966 11/1951 Hamlin 8-1493 X3,306,083 2/1967 ILornitzo ".1-.. 68l8 RX 3,338,072 8/1967 Brillet 68-58X 3,388,410 6/1968 Marshall 68-58 X 3,443,406 5/1969 Wolverton et a1.6858 WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.-R.

